1. Area of Invention
This invention relates to eating utensils and, more particularly, an improvement in the Chinese chopstick system.
2. Prior Art
As is well known, chopsticks are elongated elements having a length of about 10 to about 40 cm and a diameter between about 0.5 and 0.8 centimeters. Chopsticks have been used for thousand of years in the Orient as a primary utensil employed to grasp various types and consistencies of solid food to effect the eating thereof. As such, the chopstick has served as the Oriental equivalent of the western fork for dozens of centuries.
In modern times, many westerners have attempted to master the use of chopsticks so that, upon certain occasions, when eating in a Chinese, Japanese or Thai restaurant, they are able to eat such food in the same manner as it has historically been eaten in the Orient. However, proficiency in the use of chopsticks has proven most difficult for many to acquire. Also, many people in the Orient do not feel that the historical or classical chopstick pair is today a viable equivalent of the western fork, given the considerable range of types and consistencies of foods which in modern times have been introduced from abroad.
Accordingly, a need has arisen, for both westerners and others, for an improvement of the traditional chopstick system on a basis that would not be culturally or otherwise offensive to people of the Orient and which, as well, would be easier for westerners to utilize than the traditional pair of chop-sticks. It is as a response to such needs that the present invention is directed.
The inventor is aware of efforts in the prior art to provide interconnected chopsticks to render the same easier to use. Such efforts are reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,095 (1990) to Kunihisa, entitled Interconnected Chopstick, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,659 (1997) to Calagui, entitled Eating Utensil. The instant invention may thereby be viewed as an improvement over such prior art.
The instant invention relates to a compact and convenient chopstick system comprising a first elongate member having a proximal end and a distal food engagement end, said member further having an outer lateral surface and an inner lateral surface comprising engagement means at said distal end. At said proximal end of said inner surface is a male journal surface including a transverse pivot channel and a transverse rotation-limit surface, and a U-shaped channel within a distal side of said journal surface of said inner lateral surface. The utensil further includes a second elongate member having a proximal end and a distal food engagement end, said member further having an outer surface and an inner surface comprising engagement means at said distal end and a female journal surface, complemental to said male journal surface of said first elongate member, including a transverse pivot channel co-linear with said channel of said male surface, and a transverse rotation limit surface complemental to said rotational limit surface of said first elongate member. The second member also includes a U-shaped channel within a distal side of said journal surface of said inner surface of the second elongate member. The novel utensil also includes an axle secured within said pivot channel to thereby pivotally join the first and second members. Further included is a reed spring spanning and secured within both of said U-shaped channels to thereby stabilize said elongate members and to provide a normally outward bias relative to each other. Said elongate members preferably pivot upon a radius of about one centimeter on said journal surfaces across a range of rotation of 10 to 15 degrees. The utensil exhibits a ratio of greatest length to greatest width, when in a compressed mode, of about 3:1.
In view of the above, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an improvement of the traditional chopstick system.
It is another object to provide an eating utensil that may be employed as substitute for the historical Oriental chopstick pair.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a chopstick system more readily usable within western foods.
It is a yet further object to provide an eating utensil that may be utilized as a substitute for the western fork.
The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention and Claims appended herewith.